Rosadyn for rosacea

Rosadyn was developed by Geoffrey Nase, PhD. He is the CEO of Vascular Health Specialists.

For those who claim that rosacea can't be treated with nutrition, Dr. Nase would argue against them. This formula is free of prescription antibiotics, and instead, it's comprised of antioxidants, zinc, PharmaGABA, and enzymes.

I completely agree that rosacea is an inflammatory condition, and in order to treat it effectively, you must stop the inflammation. I think you can use some topical agents to help the cosmetic appearance of rosacea, but the underlying cause may remain.

Like so many treatments, this is not cheap. I wish it weren't so expensive, but theoretically, if the progression of rosacea is stopped, you wouldn't need as much over time.

But that's the trick, isn't it? It would become a chronic medication since it's not a cure for rosacea.

It reminds me of other doctors who have created product lines, like Dr. Perricone. He preaches "salmon, salmon, salmon," but a former dermatologist of mine who trained with him actually told me that any fish will do. So it makes you wonder.

What is in Rosadyn?

I was intrigued that it contains PharmaGABA, a vegetarian form of GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid. In pharmacy school, I was fascinated with the GABA receptor, which is what Valium (diazepam) binds to. By binding that receptor, an inhibitory response occurs, leading to relaxation and decreased anxiety. It made me wonder if good old Valium would work for rosacea, too, but considering how sleepy that makes most people, it wouldn't be a good alternative. Not to mention that Valium is addictive.

But then what does generalized relaxation have to do with rosacea? Are we all just too anxious and that's why we have rosacea? I don't think so.

As a pharmacist I know that a product cannot make therapeutic claims without FDA approval. This seems to be making claims, but even an over-the-counter product like this cannot make claims. That's why vitamins don't make claims to treat or cure anything--they just state that they are supplements.

I question why it contains magnesium stearate, which is a "flowing" agent commonly used in pharmaceuticals to make the ingredients flow through the manufacturing machinery easier. It also has been demonstrated to reduce the dissolution rate of capsules, resulting in delayed absorption. Also, stearates are made primarily from cottonseed oil, which is contaminated with pesticide residues. See here for more information on magnesium stearate.

On the website, there are lots of testimonials about how Rosadyn has worked for people. If my own methods for rosacea fail me, I might consider it, but I think I can create my own version with some antioxidants (like resveratrol and astaxanthin), minerals (zinc), and a good probiotic.